Maison Pucha Bistro

Review summary

1. B

   Becky

   Houston9 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The service was excellent! That alone is worth a return visit. The octopus ceviche was fantastic. The Mahi Mahi was perhaps a bit over cooked but the presentation and flavors with the bok choy, corn, and mushrooms were creative and delicious.
   

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2. T

   Tim VIP

   Houston10 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 6, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent filet frites and French onion soup. The menu has an interesting array of French and South American dishes that go really well together.
   

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3. J

   John

   Houston106 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on March 1, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   The Ceviche was excellent as was the Bouillabaisse. The steak frites was very good and the venison osso buco was ok. The wine options are good and reasonably priced. The service was very good. The restaurant was not busy which detracted from the ambiance. Our guests had not visited the restaurant before and thoroughly enjoyed their first visit.
   

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4. D

   Dave

   Houston17 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on February 23, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My wife, son and I went for my birthday. The empanadas were the best we had ever had. The shrimp ceviche and escargot were excellent. We loved the duck a l’orange, bouillabaisse and Ecuadorian pork stew and recommend all highly. There is a broad selection of wines at reasonable prices. Gabriellla was delightful and the service was great. We’ll be back!!
   

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5. B

   Bruce

   New York City25 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on February 21, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   We always enjoy an evening in Pucha, but last night was a let-down. The wine was very good, the service was okay, the food was not up to Pucha's standard. An appetizer was brought to the table after everyone had consumed theirs, so we turned it back. The only thing "orange" about the duck à l'orange was a thin slice of orange. The mahi mahi was overcooked and chewy. Oh well, we'll be back.
   

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6. D

   Donna

   Houston7 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on February 18, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Had a delightful lunch with friends. The service was great and the food was delicious. We will be returning.
   

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7. T

   Teresa

   Houston7 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Birthday lunch and it was wonderful! Israel provided awesome service as usual.
   

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8. D

   Doug

   Greater Boston1 review

   1.0

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   Went on Saturday of Valentine's weekend for a nice date Drinks were great, food was good though portions were small, even for fine dining. The "sides" were mere garnishes. Service was slow, but they did warn us they were operating at half staffing so we were patient about it. Still, the waiter didnt do himself any favors by twice forgetting we had already ordered something, and asking us if we want to order something. The biggest failure, though, was jacking up the prices over 50% from their advertised prices on their website. The exact same items as on the regular menu, just gone from $36 to $60, with no notification about special 'holiday' prices until you're already there seated and looking at the menu, when its too late to walk out and try to get a table elsewhere. Makes me question how much they ultimately care about service when they seem to treat their guests as ATMs, especially when they knew their service would not be good that night.
   

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9. M

   Mark

   Houston4 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Food and atmosphere were great. Wasn’t a fan of the valentines menu prices being 10-15% higher than normal. The price fixe menu was a good value but to much food for the two of us so we ordered a la carte. We will definitely be back. Steak Frites and Soufflé were awesome.
   

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10. C

    Chris

    Houston2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3

    Let’s start with the positives. The steak tartare was absolutely delicious, and I appreciated that it was served with authentic French crostini, rather than the soft toasted white bread that some other Houston French restaurants tend to use. My wife’s trout almandine was also exceptional – definitely one of the best we’ve had. Unfortunately, two of the dishes we tried didn’t quite hit the mark. The duck a l’orange was overly salty, and the escargot lacked flavor. We actually had to request salt to enhance the taste. It needed more pesto, more garlic, and definitely more seasoning overall. There was a hint of pesto, but it got lost beneath the burnt breadcrumbs. The ambiance was just okay. While the decor was attractive, the lighting kept changing every few minutes, making it feel like they couldn’t decide whether to brighten or dim the room. Given the price, I’d choose a different restaurant next time. I’ve made duck magret myself, and even with my amateur approach (no recipe, I quite literally just winged it), it was far better than what I ordered here. We’ve been to nearly every French restaurant in Houston, and this one is at the bottom of my list. Maybe my expectations have changed over the years, or perhaps food quality has slipped since the pandemic. Even our recent trip to Europe was somewhat underwhelming in terms of cuisine. That said, there are still other culinary gems in Houston, so I won’t be returning here.
    

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